Fifteen Below
by Papergirl
Summary: “If you ever doubt there’s something bigger out there, if you ever doubt that there’s a god, or some force controlling the universe… just looking at the snow falling has to prove there’s some… order, some divinity… to everything.”


Title: Fifteen Below

Author: Amber (Ambino1111@prodigy.net)

Disclaimer: Not mine. Probably never will be.

Feedback: If you feel the need, my mailbox is always open.

Category: G bit of fluff

Summary: "If you ever doubt there's something bigger out there, if you ever doubt that there's a god, or some force controlling the universe… just looking at the snow falling has to prove there's some… order, some divinity… to everything."

Author's Notes: Okay, this one popped out last night, and I finished it today. Just a little break from my other fics. It's inspired by the fact that we had a white Christmas in Chicago.

"Isn't it amazing?"

"Hmm?"

"Isn't it amazing?" Sam repeated with the same note of awe in his voice.

"What are you talking about?" Toby growled, looking up in annoyance from his spot at his desk. He stopped his typing to glare at the couch, which happened to contain Sam.

"The snow. Isn't it amazing?"

Toby sighed and turned to face his daydreaming deputy. "Yes, Sam. Frozen water falling from the sky is truly amazing. You know what else is amazing? That pad of paper in front of you is supposed to be filled with a speech, yet it's not, and you're still getting paid. Amazing."

The sharp sarcasm did nothing to smash the younger man's mood. "No, really, Toby. Just look out the window. See all that snow drifting down to the ground? See it blowing in the wind? Every single one of those flakes is different from all the others. Can you believe that? The sheer number of snowflakes falling from the sky right now, right here in this city… it's unfathomable."

Toby merely grunted and continued typing, deep in concentration.

"If you ever doubt there's something bigger out there, if you ever doubt that there's a god, or some force controlling the universe… just looking at the snow falling has to prove there's some… order, some divinity… to everything."

Toby had long ago stopped listening. Sam, however, did not appear to notice. Instead, he shifted his position on the couch and continued to stare out the window. After a few moments of silence, he sighed.

"The first time I ever really saw actual snow was when I was thirteen and my family flew to New York for a vacation. Well, it wasn't really a vacation because we had to go to my great aunt's funeral, but I didn't know her so I wasn't all that sad. Anyway, it was in January and New York was thawing out from a recent snowstorm. We weren't really prepared for that weather, so we had to go shopping for some proper clothes. I even convinced my mom to buy me a pair of snowpants. I'll never forget playing in the alley next to the hotel. I made friends with some of the other kids, some from the hotel and some from the neighborhood, and we built forts and had snowball fights and made snow angels. Afterwards, some kid's mom brought us all hot chocolate in the lobby. It was such a new experience – the clothes, the snow, the gripping cold… I had never known of such things… Now, of course, the novelty of it all has worn off."

Toby sensed the pause in Sam's narrative and felt he was expected to nod, so he did. Sam, seeing Toby's apparent agreement, continued.

"Now… now everybody dreads winter- especially here. Winter means snow, and snow means heavy coats, and hats, and gloves, and scarves, and boots. It means waking up earlier to warm the car and scrape the ice off the windows, and then sitting in traffic. It means shoveling and salting and gray sludge, darkness in the morning when you leave for work, and darkness in the evening when you come home. It means gray skies and dry skin and chapped lips and static cling," He paused, mid-rant, and examined his own dry hands. "It means we're farthest away from our sun, our source of light, our source of life. It means we're closer to darkness and death and despair."

Toby hadn't really been paying attention, but his ears perked up in alarm at the sudden change in Sam's tone. He once again stopped typing and swiveled to face him. "What on Earth are you talking about?"

Sam jumped, startled. "What?"

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Toby repeated, just as loud as before. Sam unconsciously flinched at the volume. 

"W-winter. And snow… Mostly snow."

"You're still talking about snow?" Toby was exasperated and made no attempt to hide it. "I take it you haven't written anything for that speech?"

Sam nodded and handed over his legal pad, still gazing out the window. Toby sighed, frustrated, and tossed the proffered pad of paper back on Sam's lap. His deputy didn't even notice.

"At least start it, Sam. We're behind schedule as it is."

He didn't seem to hear him. "Sure, winter means Christmas, or Hanukkah, or whatever holiday you celebrate, and that should automatically make everything better. But it doesn't. I mean, when we were younger, the whole _year_ was magical. Even in California wintertime was special; Christmas the most special. It wasn't just the getting presents and waiting for Santa, though. There was a… a spirit inside of everybody, a feeling of utter happiness and excitement. Now everything is so commercialized and impersonal, everyone seems grouchy and selfish. It gets worse and worse every year. Everyone has forgotten how to be nice to each other, how to have fun."

Toby grunted in response, trying desperately to finish the task at hand. It seemed less and less probable with each passing minute.

"And the whole starting-a-new-year-in-the-middle-of-a-season thing… not a good idea in my books. Plus, New Year's is a very depressing holiday for single people. Even if you go to a party, even if you get a date to said party, there's no guarantee she's going to be there for you to kiss at midnight. And if you don't feel like partaking in that horribly cliched ritual, you feel like a loser, like a dateless moron without a social life. Even if you are one, you don't want to be reminded of it in front of a bunch of soused people you hardly know, especially not when everything is supposed to be new… don't even get me started on resolutions… I guess that's why it's a drinking holiday."

Toby sighed and sat back in his chair. He had to fix Sam or else they'd never get any work done.

"Sam?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you doing anything for Christmas?"

"Well, no, but why do you ask? You're Jewish."

Toby shook off Sam's childlike response, trying to patiently remind him that, despite the fact that he was Jewish, he still participated in the holiday merriment that occurred at the White House and with his friends. Sam nodded, looking dazed and depressed.

"I'm sure that later today CJ will be inviting you to a holiday party at her house."

Sam shrugged his shoulders, still looking like a lost little puppy.

"Okay, that's it. Get your coat," Toby announced decisively, standing up and clapping his hands together.

Sam merely gazed up at him. "Huh?"

"Get your coat. We're going on a walk," He said, snatching his coat and strolling into the bullpen.

"Outside?" Sam's voice squeaked as he joined Toby in the bullpen. "Why can't we walk _inside_? It's snowing out!"

"Are you going to melt, California boy?"

"Maybe. It's really cold. The windchill is, like, ten below."

"Fifteen," CJ corrected, suddenly appearing at their side. Toby momentarily considered buying her a bell for Christmas. "Although, I just read in the paper that the National Weather Service is reworking how they figure the windchill. They're making it warmer, even though it will feel just as cold as before."

"What?" Toby and Sam asked in unison.

"Nevermind. Where are you guys going?"

"We're going for a walk. Outside. In the snow, where Sam may or may not melt."

CJ smirked. "You're leaving? Have you finished your backlog of speeches yet?"

Toby glared at her. "No. And we won't be able to unless I take Sam on a little walk so he can remember how to focus."

The Press Secretary nodded, crossing her arms. "I don't have a briefing for another two hours…" She started, fishing for an invite.

"You can come if you want. Perhaps you'll save me from wanting to strangle my deputy."

CJ smiled at Sam, who still seemed a little befuddled and lost in thought. "I'll try my best to protect you, Spanky."

"Get your coat," Toby instructed yet again, slipping on his gloves while Sam and CJ quickly disappeared into their respective offices. Moments later they returned. The three of them bundled themselves as they walked down the bustling hallways. It was as they were rounding a corner that they bumped into Josh. Literally. CJ smacked right into him and they both toppled to the floor in a tangle of clothing and limbs.

"CJ! I always knew you'd fall _for_ me, but I never expected _on_ me. At least, not at work."

CJ collected her fallen items and gracefully climbed to her feet. "Shut up, Joshua."

Josh grinned as he stood and brushed off his shirt, noticing for the first time that his friends were all bundled up. "Where are you guys going?"

"Outside," Toby answered quickly, motioning for CJ to hurry up. "We're going for a walk."

"Outside? Why don't you take a walk in here? Lord knows it's big enough." Toby and CJ shook their heads. "But – but why outside? It's ten below!"

"Fifteen," CJ corrected, tying her light pink scarf around her neck.

"Listen, we're walking outside because Sam is slightly depressed and needs a break. You're welcome to come if you want."

"Hang on! I'll be right back!" Josh shouted excitedly, practically running back to his office. Luckily for him, Donna was in the bathroom and could not object to his leaving.

"Okay. Where are we walking?" The Deputy Chief of Staff asked as he fell into step beside the group. He pulled a hand-knit hat over his head and poked CJ in the back when no one responded.

"Ow!" CJ yelped.

"Where are we going?" Josh tried again. 

Toby shrugged his shoulders and led them out of the White House. "I dunno. We're simply going on a little stroll."

"Okay."

They settled into silence for a bit. Then: "Josh, did you know that the National Weather Service is changing how they calculate the windchill?"

"No, I did not," Josh replied, not even feigning the slightest bit of interest.

"Doesn't anyone think this is important? All our weather reports will be changed forever, and no one besides me thinks this is a big deal?"

While CJ was busy ranting, and Josh and Toby defending their lack of interest, Sam fell behind the rest of the group. Nice and warm in his hat, scarf, gloves, and heavy, wool-lined coat, he watched as the snow flakes floated lazily to the ground. It had been awhile since D.C. had received any good packing snow.

Before he knew what he was doing, Sam stooped down and picked up a large quantity of snow from the edge of the sidewalk. Then he picked up two more, mounded them all into somewhat round shapes, and hurled them at his friends with freakish precision.

Josh: "Ow!"

CJ: "Ow!"

Toby: "What the-!"

Sam started running in the opposite direction, the smile on his face growing broader as he heard his friends crunching through the snow on his tail. He rounded a corner and furiously prepared a batch of snowballs for his defense.

"AGH!" The war cry caught Sam by surprise as he was bombarded with snow from all sides. Before he could even launch his defensive strike, Josh landed on him from behind, CJ from the right, and held him down. Sam was shrieking with laughter and surprise.

"No! NO! Help! No! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! Uncle!" He started screaming and wiggling frantically when he noticed Toby approaching them with an armful of fresh snow.

"This is sweet, sweet revenge," CJ laughed happily.

"This is hardly fair!" Sam tried again to wiggle free from their grasp. Toby was almost there. "This is _not_ a proportional response!"

"There's no merit in proportional responses!" Toby announced, dumping the mound of snow on Sam's face. Soon, the Deputy Communications Director was covered in the white stuff, the wonderful beginning sting of frost bit tingling all over his body.

"No fair! It's three on one!" Sam cried as he was freed from their hold.

No one heard him. They were too busy laughing. Josh was laughing so hard he as crying as he rolled on the snow-covered ground. Toby helped CJ to her feet and they fell into each other's arms, laughing hysterically.

Sam struggled to his feet, futilely dusting the snow off his drenched coat.

"Was this your intention all along?" CJ gasped in between fits of laughter. "Drag Sam out here to cover him with snow?"

"Well, when he mentioned his great-aunt's funeral, I knew I had to do something drastic."

"Hey!" Sam protested, leaning down to get more snow.

"I don't think so," Josh said as a pile of ice cold snow slid down the back of Sam's neck, into his shirt, and down to his pants.

"Ahhh!" Sam cried, hopping around like a maniac as he tried desperately to get the snow out. His frantic actions made Josh double over in laughter.

CJ and Toby, meanwhile, had stopped laughing.

"Josh, that was too far."

"Yeah, Josh. That was just mean."

Josh was flabbergasted. "Wh- what? Why?"

Toby and CJ just shook their heads and helped Sam up. In his wild attempts to fling snow off his bare skin, he had slipped and fallen on his butt. The three of them walked back towards the White House, talking softly.

"Wait for me!" Josh cried, jogging to catch up with them. As soon as he did, all three of them spun around and pelted him with snowballs.

"Hey!"

"Truce?" Sam asked, extending his left hand. Josh tilted his head to the side and pretended to think about it.

"Sure. Truce," He shook his best friend's hand.

"Let's go see if there's any hot chocolate in the mess," CJ suggested. Everyone agreed and followed her back inside.

They made it to the mess without further incident, dripping water and clumps of snow as they went. 

When they opened the door to the mess, they let out a gasp. Leo and Donna were there, a few feet in front of them, arms crossed. Neither made any attempt to speak right away.

"Maybe they're trying not to smile," Sam whispered to Josh.

"Fat chance," He whispered back.

"Did we declare a snow day today?" Leo asked in his best no-nonsense voice.

CJ, Toby, Sam, and Josh looked at their feet.

"No, sir."

"Did you finish all of your work before you took your little field trip outside? Did you ask permission to leave your jobs in the middle of the day to go roll around in the snow?"

"And how could you drip water all over the carpets of the White House?" Donna demanded, picking up right where Leo left off. It was almost as if they had rehearsed it.

"We're sorry, sir. It was entirely my fault, really. I wanted to get Sam focused on the speeches we needed to write."

Leo looked at Toby for a second before Sam spoke up.

"No, Leo. It was really my fault. I was watching the snow fall and got depressed. I wasn't working at all, so Toby encouraged me to take a walk with him so I could get on track."

Leo turned his gaze on Sam.

"No, Leo. They would have been fine if I hadn't gone with them. I was the one that took an innocent snowball fight too far."

Leo frowned at Josh, then shared a look with Donna.

"Campbell?" Leo asked loudly. One of the chefs appeared at his side. 

"Yes, Mr. McGarry?"

"Could you bring this soggy group some of your special hot chocolate?" 

"Yes, sir. Right away."

Leo and Donna smiled brightly, motioning to the chairs.

"C'mon. Have a seat," Leo offered, sitting down next to Donna.

Toby looked over at CJ. "Is this a trick?" He asked loudly enough for Leo to hear.

Leo and Donna shook their heads simultaneously. Warily, the foursome approached the table. Looking at each other, then at Leo and Donna, they cautiously seated themselves in the chairs.

"When you are done with your hot chocolate," Leo started as Campbell appeared with their drinks. "When you are done with your hot chocolate, Donna will take you to the laundry room. They'll scrape together some robes for you while the clothes are drying."

They all nodded, mouths full of the warm, pepperminty liquid.

"I just have one bit of advice for you guys," Leo announced. "For next time."

They all looked up at him expectantly.

"Next time, take us with you."

Josh, Sam, CJ, and Toby, to say the least, were surprised by his words. They couldn't help smiling.

"That sounds like fun, Leo," CJ decided, shaking residual snow out of her hair.

Everyone began to joke and laugh as they stripped off their coats and other outerwear. Sam sat back in his chair and sipped his hot chocolate, watching the goings-on with a feeling of contentment he hadn't felt in a long time. In fact, this carefree and friendly attitude had been lacking in everyone as of late.

Snow really _was_ amazing.

The End


End file.
